Improvement in grain-binders



s She'ei-Sheet z.

a. w. NICHOLS." GRAIN-BINDER.

Patent ed Feb 1876.

"No.173 ,o4 5.

FIG. 4.

INVENTOR WITNESSES N- PETERS. PHOTO-UTMOGRAFHER, WASHINGTON. D. O

. a Sheets-Sheet 3;.

G. W. NICHOLS. GRAIN-BIN DER.

WITNESSES N-FEYERS, PHDTD-LITHOGRAPHER, -WASHINGI'C'N. O. C.

"UNITED "STAT-Es "PATENT .-o Frca GEORGE W. NICHOLS, OF ooL 'wATER, MICIGAN, 'ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO NICHOLS GRAIN BTNDEB COMPANY,OF SAME PLACE.

lMPROVEME NT lN GRAIN-BINDERS.

Specification formingpart of 7 Letters Patent No. 3,045, dated February1, 1876; application filed July 15,1875.-

a To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. ,NIcHoLs,

.vof Goldwater, in the county of Branch and, State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain-Binders for-Reapers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in theart to which it pertains to make and use the .same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawing, and to the letters of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

A simple and effective device for bindinggrain with cord after it is cutand formed into bundles upon the reaperis the object of my' invention.

The device is applicable to any machine in which the grain may be outand delivered from the platform into a bundle-formingdevice, and isoperated by the reaper in such manner as to pass a cord round thebundle, tie the knot,

. sever the cord, and discharge the bound sheaf.

In thelexample shown, the binder is applied to one end of the platformof the reaper, so

I that the cut grain may be delivered by a rake,

or other means, directly upon the cord and two or more cradle-arms,which form the bottom of the bundle-forming space. 7 As the bundle -.isdelivered upon the cord'which spans the receivilig space an arm vpassesover the bundle, and, carrying the cord with it, completes.

the encirclementtherewith ot' the bundle, and brings the freeend'ofthecord to the tying thus leaving the cord over the space ready toreceive the bundle, which being delivered thereon, the arm rises, and,carrying the cord over the bundle, brings the other end between thejaws, where they are both held, as shown in Fig. 7, and at this momentcut by the shears,

and the bundle ends seized by a horizontallypivoted finger, carried byan intermittentlyrevolving disk, while the end of the cord carried bythe arm is still held by the jaws, as

shown in Fig. 8. The bundle ends of the cord as soon as they are cut,and thus freed from the'spool-cord, are oarried round the spindle, whichpasses cent-rally throughthe intermittently-rotating disk, and, inmaking a revolution, the'ends of the cord pass under that portion heldbetween the spindle and the bundlereceiver, as shown in Fig. 8, and aredrawn over and upon a hook (see Fig. 9) pivoted vertically within arecess in the spindle, and within which it closes radially as thespindle descends and carries the two cord ends with it through the loopformed by that portion of the cord which had been previously-passed 1round the spindle, as shown in Fig. 10, and thereby forms the tie-loop,which is drawninto a knot (see Fig. 11) by the combined action of thedescent of the spindle, the pivoted hook, and the'expansion of thesheaf. As the hook is closing with the spindle to hold the cord, thehorizontal finger in the disk releases its hold upon the ends,'so as tofree the'cord from the binding devio'e-at the moment the knot is beingformed. i

The formation and completion of the knot,

and the release of the cord, are efiectedby the intermittent revolvingmotion of the disk-finger, and the risingand falling movement of thecentral spindle device which carries the knot-forming hook, and thesetwo devices cooperate in efi'ecting this result with. unerringcertainty, and in harmony with the arm-device which carries and deliversthe cord round thebundle, and the jaw device which seizes and holds thecord during the operation of severing it from the continuous length, andcarrying it back and forth over the cradle- ;space. As each knot isformed and -tied,"the

cord-carrying armj operates to .lay thecord.

across the bundle-receivenzand this is effected, just as each knot istied, by the returning movementof the cord-carrying arm across thehundle-receiver, which. leaving the end of the I cord held bet-ween thejaws, lays it across the bundle-receiver, and carries it back and forthmovement of the cord-carrying arm.

beneath and over the grain-bundle,and to the knot forming and tyingvdevices; and these movements all harmonizing to produce the best effectby the working of the reaper, and by suitable driving mechanism.

The returning movement of the arm takes place just as the hook-carryingspindle reaches its lowest point of descent, as shown in Fig. 10, inorder to allow the expansion of the sheaf to act properly in drawing thecord to tighten the knot. I

As the bundles vary in size I have combined with the cord-carrying arm aspring take-up, by which all slack in the cord may be taken up and theproper length of cord used for each sheaf, by taking up all surplus orslack, and thereby bind each bundle with the same tension, as the cordwill be made to accommodate diflerent sized sheaves by the automaticaction of the take-up.

The bound sheaf is discharged by the automatic action of the arms whichform the cradle of the bundle-receiver; and the opening and closingmovement of these arms takes place simultaneously with the returningback The cradle-arms are carried loosely by the same rock-shaft whichcarries the cord-carrier; but

r they are fastened in position by spring-catches,

and brought into suchposition to be fastened by lugs on the rock-shaft;or other suitable means may be adopted for the purpose, so

long as these cradle-arms are made to both open and close with thebackward movement of the arm which throws the cord acrossthebundle-receiver.

In'the accompanyingdrawings, Figure 1, Sheet 1, represents a view inperspective, on asmall scale, of my improved grain-binding attachment,as appliedto a portion of the platform of a reaper; Fig. 2, Sheet 2, avertical section of the knot'forming devices in the position the hookoccupies to receive the cord between the jaws; Fig. 7, same sheet, asimilar view, showing the knot-forming devices in positions after thecord has been passed round the bundle, and with the double cord held bythe jaws; Fig.8, same sheet, a'similar view, showing the cord cut off,and its out ends seized by the disk-finger and carried round the spindleto a position just before the cord is passed over and upon the spindlehook; Fig. 9, same sheet, a similar View, showing the cord in positionover and upon the spindlehook to be closed thereby with the spindle asthe latter descends to form the knot; Fig. 10, same sheet, shows thedevices in the positions they occupy after the completion of the knot,

and while the spindle is at the limit of its (1'e-' scent; Fig. 11, samesheet, shows the knot as formed; Fig. 12, Sheet 1, a vertical section ofthe cord-holding jaws, shown in position to receive the cord; Fig. 13,same sheet, a detached view of the mechanism for operating theco'rd-carrying-arm and the bundle-holding arms by means of therock-shaft upon which said arms are mounted; and Fig. 14, same sheet, aviewof one of the cradle-arms, showing one of the lugs which engageswith a similar lug on the rock-shaft to close the cradlearms with theirspring-catches to receive the unbound bundle. All these figures, but thefirst, are drawn on enlarged scales. I f

An apron, A, is constructed in any suitable manner to form an extensionof the reaperplatt'orm, to receive the cut grain therefrom in a positionto be delivered to the binder. At the termination of this apron anopened-space grain-receiver, B, is arranged toreceive the grainlengthwise therein, and outside ofthis grain-receiver is arranged theknot-tyingdevice upon afixed plate, 0, suitably secured to theframe-work of the receiver, and on a level with the topthereof.

The binder consists primarily of three dcvices-namely, a device forcarrying the cord over the bundle-receiving space and round the bundle;a device for holding the encircled ends of the cord, and the device fortying the knot.

A cordcarrying arm, D, of semicircular form, shown in Figs. 1 and 6,'isfixed upon a rock-shaft, E, Figs. 1 and 14, arranged at the inner edgeof the grain-receiving space B, and operated by the rock-shaft, to carryand hold it beneath the table A through a slot or opening, a, therein,to allow the grainto be delivered over the arm and in position to bereceived thereby and turned over quickly into the receiving-spaceB,when, by the action of the rock-shaft E, said arm D is caused to spanthe said space. The cord b is carried over and upon the arch of the armD, and is held within a groove, 0, by eyes 0 Fig. '1, at suitabledistances apart, so that it cannot be displaced from the arm. The cordis received at the connected end of the arm and carried back and forthat its free end over the bundle-receiving space. The bow D is a littlewider than this space, and terminates in a branch, D of proper length,and through an eye, d, in the end of which the cord b passes to make aconnection with the'holding-jaws. Inthe movement of the arm to turn thegrain into the receiver B this branch D will just touch the surface ofthe plate 0, and. by means of the projections d (1 hold and press downupon the cord until it is griped by the jaws,

and that part carried by the arm and held by the jaws severed froni thatpart which is to be tied into the knot, as shown in Fig. 8. A thirdprojection, (1 at the point where the branch D joins the 'bow D, servesto hold thedouble v are being tied.

' inner projections ing disk, F, provided with a finger, e, pivoted nearits circumference, and a vertically-movingspindle, G, provided witha'hook, f, pivoted to be 'opened' and closed in a recess, f, in the sideI of the spindle. The disk F is arranged within a depressed case, Gformed in the plate 0, and is ona level with the-surface thereof. Anannular depressiomy, is formed in its upper surface to receive the hookf in a position to pass beneath the ends of the cord held by the fingere, as the disk revolves to carry the cord round the spindle and overthefinger. The finger e 'is pivoted to be opened and closed with the disk Fto receive and clamp the severed ends of the'cord and carry said cordround the spindle by the turning of the disk.. In this action the fingeris brought down upon the cord by, means of a cam-shaped bearing on thebottom of the case Gr acting upon a curved inner branch of the finger,and it is opened when said inner branch comes opposite a recess in thebottom bearing, into which recess the inner branch of the finger isforced by a spring arranged in the disk for the purpose.

'A spring is also arranged in the finger-recess, upon which to clampthevcord and to accommodate and hold'difi erent thicknesses of cord, andpreventjthe ends being pulled out by the action of the hook, and beforethe time comes for the release of the cord from the finger. The spindleG is arranged to rise and fall through a central openingin the disk F,and the hook f, whichit carries, is jointed, by means of a link, It, tothe upper end of a plate, H,'arra'nged within said spindle, which ismade hollow'or'slotted for that purpose, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Thejointed connection allows the -hOOk end f to descend into the annulardepression g, and to rise vertically in the recess f by the rising andfalling action of the plate H, which is effected by a cam, I, on theshaft J, acting upon the end of a lever, K, pivoted to ,ahanger, M,-fromthe plate (3, and connected by alink, L, to an arm, t, of the, plate H,whicht moves .in a ,slot in said spindle. The action ofthe cam I, as itcomes in contact with the lever-.K, is to pull down the jointed-plate Hand raise and close the hook f with the cord within the recess f andhold the cord against the inside thereof, while the spindle isdepressed] by thecoutinued action of the cam to slip the cord over theup: per end off'the spindle,-. and complete the tie by closing, theslack to make' the knot 'bylthe' expansion of the bundle of grain; Thehook f isthrown'outinto properposition to pass beneath the held ends ofthe cordby means of an offset, Fig. 5, infthe"caui, and the.ac.-.

' tion of a'coile'd spring,'j, confined within'the lower hollow end ofthe spindle, and this action takes place just bcforethe descentof thespindle, while the spindle itself is forced up, when the lever passesthecam I, by the coiled spring it placed over the spindle, and bearing hookand the spindle are thus operated by the same cam, and by springs actingindepending in contact with the lower side of pinion N, fixed to thelower end of a sleeve, which finger-carrying disk F, and by which pinioncumference. (See Sheet 2.) vThis wheel Ois into 'a similar pinion, Q, onthe shaft J, which.

carries the cam. (See Figs l and'5.) A spring-detent, B, Fig. 4', passesthrough hold it in the proper position when the cogs n of" the wheel 0leave the pinion N, and by this means also hold. the latter in positionto mentally-toothed wheel.

ing the grain, and the knife for severing the "ends of the cord to betied. These jaws are secured to the plate 0 outside of the disk F, andin line with the spindle and the cord carrying arm D, and they consistof a. fixed and closed at right angles to the line ot'the cord. Theyaretoothed on their inner sides toproperly hold the cord, as showninFig. 12, Sheet.

- ner end of a bar, T, held in place by suitable a spring, 19, toaccommodat'e' different thick.-

which it is operated bythe wheel 0, which wheel turns to open the jawsat the proper opening almost instantly'lifts' the branch upon a collar,70 on thespindle, and a sleeve, k ,;on the lower end of thehanger M,and" through which sleeve the spindle passes. The.

ently upon each. The limit of the ascent of the spindle is governed bythecollar 70 com- 'passes the case G and is screwed into the the latteris made to revolve, as shown in 'Figs. 2 and 3. The limit of the ascentand idescent of the hook-carrying plate H is gov-' having teeth aon'about one-fourth of its cirsuspended by a vertical support from. theplate 0, and is driven by a pinion, P, meshing an opening in the side ofthe case G2, and en- -ters a notch in the periphery oft-he disk F to ialways receivethe intermeshiug of the segr.

' This wheel '0 also operates the jawsl for holding the cord during theoperation. of bindmovable jaw, S S arranged to be opened and 1. Themovable jaw S 'is pivoted to the in;

guides, and capable of yielding by means of nesses of cord;otherwise-the function of the jaws mightbe uncertain to properly holdthe .:cord. This jaw S has an L-branch, S, by

has an opening, v(1,*Sh eet '2, Fig. 12, into which" the branch S isforced by a spring, 1, as the moment, andthe-beveledside g of said.

Stand closes the jaw, arid holdsit closed by resting upon the face ofthe wheel. Simultaneously with the closing of the jaws to hold the cordthe knife U is closed with the side of the fixed jaw S, which act likeshears to cut the ends of the cord, and leave them free to he caught bythe finger e, which seizes them before they are thus cut. This action ofthe knife is effected by a cam-projection, V, on the face of the wheel0, passing, as the latter revolves, under the end U of a weighted L-branch of the knife, which, being pivoted to the bar by the side of themovable jaw, is op, erated, as stated, at the proper time, which isgoverned by the action of the cam V, in harmony withthat of thejaws andthe tying devices. The weighted arm U holds the knife open. As soon asthe tying of the bundle is completed, and the cord cut, the cradle-armsW are released from their spring-catches t, and the bound bundle isdelivered therefrom, and the cradle-arms again brought up and caught bythe catches by the action of proper devices X, Fig. 1, operated by theshaft E, which carries the cord carrying arm, and which shaft E isoperated by a suitable cam, Y, on the shaft J, the connection ofthe twoshafts being made by a connecting-rod, Z, which carries a sector, 10,arranged to match with a pinion, 'v, on the rock'shaft E, so that theconnecting-arm Z vibrates the sector a,

t and through it operates the cord-carrying and cradle arms by the cam Yand suitable lugs to on the shaft E, acting upon "lugs to on thecradle-arms W, as shown in Fig. 14. By means of the arm Z connecting thedriving and rock shafts the proper adjustment of the cord-carrying arm Dcan always be made, as shown in Fig. 13.

The plate 0 is provided with suitable fenders iv, Fig. 1, to prevent thegrain being thrown upon the plate as the bundle is turned over into thereceiving-space. 1

The bundles of grain delivered to the era dle-arms necessarily vary insize, and to compensate for this variation, and bind each bundle withthe same degree of tension, I employ a spring take-up, z, Fig. 1,through an eye in j which the cord passes from the spool to the eye 0 ofthe carrying-arm D, so that the action of the take-up will be such as toalways produce and maintain the proper degree of tension upon the cord,and thereby accommodate the cord to the size of the bundle, and

tie it with the requisite degree of tightness.

I claim a 1. The combination, in a grain-binding attachment forharvesters, of an intermittentlyrotating disk, F, carrying ahorizontally-pivoted finger, 0, with a vertically -intermittent movingspindle, G, carrying a vertically-pivoted hook, f, having a radiallyopening and closing movement therewith, substantially as herein setforth.

2. The combination, with intermittently-rotating cord-seizing finger eand pivoted hook f, constructed to operate jointly, as described,

of the cord-carrier D having the cordguide 11 and the'heel cord-holder dand the cord-holding jaws S S, the whole being arranged and adapted tooperate in the manner substantially as herein set forth.

3. The combination, with the intermittent horizontal rotating pivotedfinger e, the knot forming and tying device G f, constructed to operateas described, of the cord-holdingjaws S S and the knife U, arranged andadapted to operate in the manner substantially as herein set forth. 4.The combinatiomwiththe arm D D and the openinga in the platform, of thegrainreceiver B, the cord 11, and the cord-holding and tying devices,consisting of the jaws S S", spindle G, its pivoted hook f, and thediskfinger e, constructed and adapted to operate substantially as hereinset forth.

5. The combination, with the spindle G, of the cam I and thelever-connection K, whereby the spindle is caused to descend at theproper point in the operation of forming the tie, and to cause the tieend to he slipped over the end of the spindle, substantially as hereinset forth. y

6. The combination, with the spindle G and the tie-forming hook fpivoted thereto, of the jointed connection H h, the spring j, and thelever K, whereby the hook is operated in the manner and for the purposeherein set forth. 7. The combination of thepivoted tie-forming hook fwith the recess or depression 9 in the surface of the intermittentrotating disk F, whereby the hookfis turned downin position to passbeneath the ends of the cord held by the fingers in making the tie,substantially as herein set forth.

8. The stop l in the spindle G, in combination with the slot m in thejointed connection H of the pivoted tie-forming hook and the spring j,whereby the ascent of the latter is limited, substantially as herein setforth.

9. The combination, with the spindle G and the pinion which operate theintermittent rotating disk F, of the stop 70 on said spindle, and thespring k, whereby the ascent of the latter above the disk is limited,substantially asherein set forth.

10. The combination, with the pivoted cordholding jaw S S of the openingor depression g in the wheel 0,,and the spring 1', whereby the said jawis both opened and closed with the fixed jaw S atstated points- 7 duringthe rotation of said wheel, substantially as herein set forth.

11. The segmently-cogged wheel 0, and its intermatchin g disk-sleevepinion N, for intermittently operating the disk-finger 0, provided withthe cam-projection V and the depressed cam q q, in combination with thecord-severing knife U U and the cord-holdingjawsS S, whereby the pivotedcord-seizing finger e, the knife, and the jaws are made to co-operate intheir functions by the continuous rotation of the wheel 0, substantiallyas herein set forth.

12. The combination, with the pivoted jaw S and the bar T which carriesit, of'the spring 1), whereby a variablegraspis given to the jaws tocompensate for difl'erent thicknesses of cord, substantially as hereinset forth.

14:. The combination, with the cord-carrying arm D and its rock-shaft E,of the cradlearms W and the lugs w and 20 whereby the cradle-arms areopened downward, and again closed with the grain-space by the samemech-- I anism which operates the cord-carrier,'substantially. as hereinset forth.

15. The combination, with the rock-shaft E p and the cradle-arms W, ofthe spring-catches t t and the device X, operated by the rockshaft,whereby the eradle-arms are released from theircatches to open thecradle and deliver the tied bundle, substantially as herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have affixed my signature inpresence of two witnesses.

GEORGE w. NICHOLS.

I Witnesses:

' A. E. H. JOHNSON,

J. W. HAMILTON JonNson.

